Act 27 | Noyes | STEP | And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.

‏ Acts 27

1 And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. 2 And going on board a ship of Adramyttium, about to sail along the coasts of Asia, we put to sea; Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 3 And the next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go to his friends, and receive their care. 4 And thence putting to sea, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And having sailed over the sea along Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 And there the centurion, finding a ship of Alexandria about to sail for Italy, put us on board of it. 7 And sailing slowly some days, and having with difficulty arrived over against Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to put in, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; 8 and coasting along it with difficulty we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city Lasea. 9 And much time having been spent, and the voyage being now dangerous, because the Fast had already gone by, Paul advised them, 10 saying, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives. 11 But the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than what was spoken by Paul. 12 And as the harbor was not well situated for wintering, the greater part advised to sail thence also, if by any means they might reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, looking toward the southwest and northwest, and there winter. 13 And when a south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor, and coasted along close by Crete. 14 But not long after, there rushed against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. 15 And the ship being caught, and unable to face the wind, we gave up to it, and were driven along. 16 And running under a certain small island called Clauda, we were hardly able to get possession of the boat; 17 which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should run into the Syrtis, they lowered the sail and so were driven. 18 And as we were violently tempest-tossed, the next day they began to lighten the vessel; 19 and the third day we cast out with our own hands the movables of the ship. 20 And as neither sun nor stars had appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, thenceforward all hope that we should be saved was taken away. 21 And after there had been much abstinence from food, Paul stood up in the midst of them and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened to me, and not have put to sea from Crete, nod thus brought upon yourselves this injury and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 saying, Fear not, Paul! Thou must stand before Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all those that sail with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it will be just as it hath been told me. 26 But we must be cast upon some island. 27 And when the fourteenth night had come on, as we were driven onward in the Adriatic sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were near some country; 28 and sounding, they found twenty fathoms; and having gone a little further and sounded again, they found fifteen fathoms; 29 then fearing lest we should fall upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for day. 30 And as the sailors were seeking means to escape from the ship, when they had lowered the boat into the sea, under the pretence that they were about to carry out anchors from the foreship, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, If these men do not stay in the ship, ye cannot be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off. 33 And while the day was coming on, Paul exhorted them all to take food; saying, This is the fourteenth day that ye have waited, and continued fasting, having taken nothing. 34 Wherefore I exhort you to take food; for this is for your safety; for there shall not a hair be lost from the head of one of you. 35 And having thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all, and having broken it, he began to eat. 36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took food. 37 And there were of us in the ship in all two hundred and seventy-six souls. 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, casting out the grain into the sea. 39 And when it was day, they did not know the land; but they observed a certain creek having a beach, into which they determined, if possible, to run the ship. 40 And cutting away the anchors, they left them in the sea, and at the same time unfastening the rudder-bands, and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made toward the beach. 41 And falling into a place having the sea on both sides, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast, and remained immovable, but the stern was breaking to pieces with the violence [of the waves]. 42 And on the part of the soldiers there was a plan to kill the prisoners, lest any one should swim out and escape. 43 But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and ordered those who could swim to cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards, and others on something from the ship. And in this way it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to land.